


snowfall kind of love

by pinkhimchanism



Category: Monsta X (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, But all is fine, Fluff, Jooheon is in denial, M/M, Mentions of Character Death, Minhyuk is Jack Frost okay, and Hyungwon is the spirit of spring, because I said so
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-04-27 12:15:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14425221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkhimchanism/pseuds/pinkhimchanism
Summary: Lee Jooheon likes believing there's some magic in this world, that there's more to it than meets the eye. He is proven right when he meets a stranger called Minhyuk in the park who just happens to be a winter spirit.





	snowfall kind of love

**Author's Note:**

> I mean I just saw Rise of the Guardians and thought of Minhyuk as Jack Frost. And I loved that thought so... yeah. Have this. Title is taken from the song "Snowfall" by Ingrid Michaelson. I don't know why I write a pretty winter-y story in may but okay. Whatever I guess.

Jooheon was in the library, staring at his laptop and at what Naver had spat out about Jack Frost. _Jack Frost was threatening to kill the new plants._ Naver wasn’t very helpful with the task at hand, a paper on Jack Frost for his class in European Culture and Literature, to put it mildly. 

Naver linked to Wikipedia. _Jack Frost is the personification of frost, ice, snow, sleet, winter, and freezing cold._ Better. Didn’t sound like a fun fellow to be around; Jooheon was not that fond of being cold. Winter was one thing but freezing cold didn’t sound that appealing to him. 

He watched the snow outside falling. It was January and the end of the semester was fast approaching. At least, Jooheon guessed, his topic fit the mood of the season. And he liked myths, so he guessed it wasn’t that bad to do research on one of them. At least he didn’t have to read some book by a pretentious old man (probably dead) and guess what he had meant to say (in his professors’ opinion) even though it probably was just weird ramblings of a pretentious old man. 

Myths, in Jooheon’s opinion, had always been much more interesting. People trying to explain to each other why something was happening, that was something he liked. He liked stories in general, so he guessed it wasn’t surprising. He remembered when he had pestered his entire family for more and more stories when he had still been a child. He hadn’t ever been satisfied. 

But back to Jack Frost. With a sigh, Jooheon returned to reading the Wikipedia article. Then, maybe, he could go look for some actual books on the topic. Or he could go back to playing Pokémon. Probably sooner rather than later, depending on how annoyed he’d get by researching literature he could use for his essay. 

 

 

“Changkyun?” Jooheon asked, sipping on his cup of coffee. 

“Yeah?” The younger man answered and looked up from his phone. He was probably texting his boyfriend, Kihyun, judging from the dopey smile on his face. They were really cute. Disgustingly so. 

“Do you believe mythological creatures are real? Like, let’s say, a personification of winter?” Jooheon was fiddling with the sleeve of his shirt, not looking at Changkyun directly. 

“I’m kind of a firm believer in science, you know? Like, hyung, I’m studying medicine. As a child, yes, I believed that, maybe. I don’t know. But now…? Not so much. But, you know, there’s nothing wrong with believing in that stuff.” He shrugged and took a sip from his vanilla latte. 

The thing for Jooheon was that he had always kind of believed that there was more to the world than meets the eye. He wasn’t sure whether it was because he wanted to believe it or if it was just some belief that was just there without him having a lot of influence on it. He liked the thought that the world was at least a tiny bit magical. He liked the idea of nymphs hiding in trees, of tricksters out there that could help but also hinder you. He liked to think that there were nature spirits of some kind. And for some reason, he especially liked the thought of an almost childlike spirit called Jack Frost. 

“I just sometimes feel childish, you know?” Jooheon admitted to Changkyun. 

Changkyun shrugged. “Just because we can also explain nature scientifically doesn’t mean magic, in whatever way, doesn’t exist. I just personally don’t believe in it.” 

As far as advice went, that wasn’t the worst he could have gotten, Jooheon supposed. 

 

 

Jooheon had expected many things when he had gone to the park, but a white-haired boy in a hanbok jumping around, giggling and surrounded by a constant swirl of snowflakes had not been one of them. Plus, he was barefoot. In January. When it was snowing. He was kind of worried about the boy’s mental well-being. 

He watched him jump around and giggle for a little while. It was hard not to smile when someone seemed so happy. The boy came closer and closer and Jooheon hoped his staring wasn’t that obvious, but the boy seemed completely unconcerned about his presence in general. 

So unconcerned even, that he bumped into Jooheon, sending both of them falling into the snow, the stranger on top of Jooheon. He was staring at him curiously. 

“You can see me!” the boy proclaimed as if it was out of the ordinary. He sat up and straddled Jooheon’s waist and Jooheon wondered if the stranger knew about the concept of personal space. And generally, the strangeness of straddling a complete stranger in the park. 

“It’s hard not to see someone who’s sitting on you in the middle of the park. Also, would you mind letting me up? The snow is kind of cold. And wet,” Jooheon thought he had countered the stranger’s words quite well. He mentally patted himself on the shoulder. 

“The snow is wonderful!” The man on top of him said. “But I will let you up.” And with that he got up gracefully and it almost seemed like he was flying or floating but that was unlikely so Jooheon guessed maybe he had hit his head when falling. 

“Thanks, man,” He replied when he was finally standing as well and getting the snow off of his clothes. 

“You believe in me! You can see me!” The man looked at him in awe, his whole face lit up in happiness. 

“I… yes. Why wouldn’t I be able to see you?” 

“Because,” the man said and poked a finger at Jooheon’s chest, “because I’m the personification of winter and not many can see me if I don’t want to be seen. But you believe in me. You believe in magic.” There was a sudden burst of snowflakes above their heads and an accompanying laugh from the other man. 

Now, theoretically believing that maybe there were indeed nature spirits somewhere was one thing but actually standing in front of someone who claimed to be one, that was an entirely different thing. Jooheon just stared at the man with his mouth open. 

“I can make it snow!” The other man said and with a wave of his hand, a small twirl of snowflakes appeared a few meters away, out of nowhere. 

“And I can fly.” With a small jump, the other man was indeed in the air, giggling as he crossed his legs and sat in the middle of the air. Jooheon wondered whether he had gotten drunk and forgotten about it. That would be a new thing even for him, but maybe he could ask Changkyun if there was any scientific explanation for it. 

“Are you Jack Frost? I am writing a paper on you.” Might as well roll with this, he guessed. And if that was actually Jack Frost, that would be kind of cool. Maybe he could help him with his paper. Even though he was a little unsure how he was supposed to cite that. 

The man sank down so he stood in front of Jooheon again. “That’s what the Americans and British are calling me, yes. But actually, my name is Minhyuk.” 

“Cool. My name is Jooheon.” 

And that’s how Jooheon met the actual Jack Frost who went by the name of Minhyuk. 

 

 

“Okay no offence, Minhyuk, but what the fuck are you doing in my flat and how did you get in?” Jooheon said after calming down from his shock. When he had come home from university, he had found, quite unexpectedly, the spirit of winter lounging on his couch. He had started screaming and thrown the next best thing (a book on Grimm’s fairytales) at the boy. Minhyuk had yelped and narrowly avoided the book flung into his direction. A small cloud of snowflakes twirled around his head and the half full bottle of coke next to the couch froze. 

Minhyuk got up with a pout and flicked off a speck of dust from his clothes. “Your spare key is not very cleverly hidden under your doormat. As for finding you, I can actually sense people who believe in me.” 

“Firstly, that’s creepy, and secondly, didn’t work that well when you tackled me in the park.” 

“I was caught up in the moment, okay,” Minhyuk screeched indignantly. “Plus, you’re just jealous because I have cool superpowers.” 

“What, like freezing my coke?”, Jooheon asked, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Would come in handy in summer though.” 

Minhyuk was still pouting. “I thought you’d be happy to see me. You thought it was cool that I am real. And then I realized we never swapped addresses or phone numbers. So I came to see you.” He clapped his hands excitedly. 

“Jack Frost has a phone?” Jooheon asked skeptically. 

“I may be a mythological being but I am also living in Seoul in the 21st century. Of course I have a phone. Love taking selfies. Also love Tinder. And Grindr.” 

Jooheon stared at him. “Jack Frost has Grindr?” 

“That’s not in your numerous books about me, is it? Plus, I would like to say I am not a child as some of your books claim. And also, I did not appear out of thin air. Was born in South Korea.” 

Jooheon sighed. “Well, I can see that. Now give me your phone, you wanted my number, right?” 

 

 

It was when Minhyuk invited him over to his and his room mate’s apartment when he met the spirit of spring who went by the name of Hyungwon and had bright pink hair. 

“So you are the boy he never shuts up about,” Hyungwon said when he came out of his room to steal some of the chicken they had ordered. Jooheon sputtered and almost choked on his food, blushing bright red. Minhyuk on the other hand pulled Jooheon closer (he really had no idea about the concept of personal space, Jooheon had learned) and smiled at Hyungwon brightly. “Yes. That’s Jooheonie. Isn’t he adorable?”

Jooheon blushed even more, if that was even possible. At least he wasn’t choking on chicken anymore. 

Hyungwon grinned lazily and nodded. “He is indeed cute.” 

 

 

It was later when Jooheon asked a question that had been bothering him for a while now. “Hey, can I tell my friends who you actually are by the way? Or is it super secret?” 

Minhyuk looked up from where he was cuddled up against Jooheon, concentrated on the movie. “You can tell them. I don’t mind.” 

“It’s more a question of whether they will believe you when you tell them who we are, though,” Hyungwon added. He had at some point sat down with them after coming out of his room multiple times to get snacks. 

“Oh,” Jooheon said. That actually made sense. The others would probably think he had lost it. But then again maybe they wouldn’t if Minhyuk made it snow or Hyungwon made a flower grow in his hand like he had done earlier. That had been pretty damn cool. 

Then Jooheon thought of something. “Can they even see you? Or Hyungwon for that matter? Because I’m not sure whether they believe in nature spirits and if I’d have to guess I’d tend towards a solid no.” 

Minhyuk dramatically put a hand over his heart, feigning hurt. “I cannot believe this. My heart! Why am I surrounded by non-believers? Except for you of course. No, but seriously, they can. If we want to be seen, everyone can. If we don’t… then it’s only those who believe in us who can actually see us. Most nature spirits want to be left alone so they don’t ever want to be seen. Sometimes that’s easier.” Minhyuk shrugged and Jooheon nodded. 

 

 

“Who are you texting all the time? You’re grinning and it’s suspicious,” Kihyun said matter-of-factly. Jooheon immediately locked his screen so the other man wouldn’t see his conversation with Minhyuk who had sent him cute selfies. 

“Why is me grinning suspicious? I’m just… happy. Can’t a man be happy?” Jooheon said, pouting. 

“Hmm yes, they can, but not when they’re, quite untypically, on their phone all the time all of the sudden. You’re texting someone. You’ve met someone. Spill, Lee Jooheon.” Kihyun narrowed his eyes and Jooheon gulped. His fight or flight response was severely triggered. He didn’t even know why because it wasn’t as if Minhyuk was some dirty secret. 

“Lee. I saw he sent you selfies and he’s exactly your type. Cute and happy. Tell me.” 

Jooheon crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Can’t believe you’d betray me like this and look at your best friend’s phone screen without being asked to.” 

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.” 

“What if I’d been sexting?” 

“Oh?” A smirk graced Kihyun’s features and Jooheon realized he had just kind of given himself away. Shit. 

“I met him in the park. He literally bumped into me. He’s called Minhyuk and he is doing a degree in philosophy. He works as a barista at the coffee shop opposite the humanities building. Happy?” 

Kihyun sipped on his drink and Jooheon wondered if Kihyun was actually the personification of the Cheshire Cat. It would explain so much. “Interesting. Bring him to the next movie night. He can bring a friend.” 

 

 

“I love movie nights! Hyungwon! We’re going to a movie night!” Minhyuk screeched and Jooheon was sure Hyungwon could hear him through the closed door. 

“You don’t know what you’re signing up for,” Jooheon protested weakly. Maybe, if he was honest to himself, he was a tiny bit excited to introduce Minhyuk to his friends. 

“I can’t remember saying yes to a movie night though,” Hyungwon said, coming out of his room reluctantly. 

“That’s because Jooheon only just told me. It’s tomorrow! It will be good for you to get out of the house, Hyungwonie.” 

“I do leave the house. Which you would know if you’d be at home more often.” 

“Are you my mum?” 

Jooheon sighed. He was used to their bickering by now. 

 

 

Jooheon was sure he’d burn up from his constant blush. Minhyuk had wrapped an arm around him as soon as they had arrived and pulled him close to cuddle. Usually, Jooheon would resign himself to his fate (and pointedly not think about how Minhyuk holding him like that made his heart go all fluttery) but this was the first time they had an audience other than Hyungwon and Hyungwon had known Minhyuk for centuries apparently, so he didn’t actually care anymore. 

Kihyun, Hyunwoo, Changkyun and Hoseok on the other hand… They kept staring at them, some with a smirk (Kihyun), some with surprise (Hyunwoo, Hoseok, Changkyun). Though Hoseok’s surprised glance didn’t last particularly long. As soon as he saw Hyungwon, he turned into the heart eyes emoji and he only cared about him for the rest of the night. It was cute to watch, actually. 

 

 

The night ended with stunned silence and then cheerful laughter when a drunk Minhyuk actually made it snow in the middle of Hyunwoo’s living room. 

“I can’t believe you’ve got the hots for Jack Frost,” Changkyun said and then started giggling uncontrollably about his own pun. Kihyun joined him. 

Hyungwon made some flowers grow from his hands and Hoseok fell even harder for the other man. Jooheon was half afraid he’d propose right there and then. 

 

 

“Why were you in a hanbok when I first met you? I haven’t seen you in that since then,” Jooheon asked when they were (platonically) cuddling on his bed (he really wished his heart would get the memo that this was super platonic). 

Minhyuk smiled (why was his smile so damn blinding, it was not fair). “I was feeling it, I guess. It reminds me of when I was a younger. I was wearing that when I became Jack Frost.” He cheered when he defeated another trainer on Pokémon Moon. 

“How did you become Jack Frost, if you don’t mind me asking?” 

Minhyuk sighed and put his 3DS into standby. “I drowned.” 

Jooheon blinked at him. “What?” he asked weakly. 

“I drowned. In a lake at the palace. It was January I think, and we were skidding on the lake. Our attendants had told us not to, but we still did because it was fun. The ice was cracking and Jaehyuk, my little brother, panicked. I told him to calm down and managed to push him to the edge of the lake where the ice was safe but the ice cracked beneath me and I fell in. I couldn’t find the hole again and my clothes got heavier and heavier and yeah… Next thing I knew, I woke up again, and I could fly and make it snow. Jaehyuk was already an old man.” Minhyuk seemed subdued and a little sad and Jooheon’s heart was breaking a little. He pulled Minhyuk closer and held him tightly. 

“I’m so sorry,” Jooheon whispered and his voice sounded funny, even to him. Minhyuk looked up and smiled sadly. “Come on, stop crying, I’m all fine now. It happened a long time ago. Sometime in the 16th century.” 

Jooheon wiped away his tears but new ones just kept coming. He didn’t even know why. He was holding Minhyuk and he was fine, he really was. But somehow it was so sad. 

“You know,” Minhyuk said as he was gently running a hand through Jooheon’s hair, “Changkyun’s a little like Jaehyuk used to be.”

Jooheon smiled and chuckled a little. 

They were mostly quiet for the rest of the night, holding each other close. 

 

 

“What are you doing here?” Jooheon knew he never usually talked to Minhyuk like that. But he was angry, so angry, and scared. 

Kihyun had been hit by a car. A crying Changkyun had called Jooheon and then it had all been a bit of a blur, but Kihyun had woken and it was less bad than they had thought. Mostly it was a minor concussion and a broken arm. He was awake and chatting with Changkyun again already.

Minhyuk looked, for lack of a better word, lost, as he stood in the door to Kihyun’s hospital room. “I… wanted to see how Kihyun is. How all of you are,” he said, sounding surprised. 

Jooheon snorted and maybe he was unfair to Minhyuk, he didn’t know, but he was still so scared. He had had to hold a crying Changkyun as Hyunwoo had driven them to the hospital. What if Kihyun had been in a coma, what if he had ended up in a wheelchair, what if he had died? So many possibilities and all because of the snow. 

“A driver lost control of his car and hit Kihyun. Because of your precious snow. It’s your fault,” Jooheon spat and Kihyun frowned and put a hand on Jooheon’s arm. He angrily shook it off. 

All color had drained from Minhyuk’s face. “I cannot control what happens when it’s snowing. I cannot prevent accidents from happening. I’m… I can’t…” His voice sounded weak and helpless. He turned around and hastily left the room, his shoulders pulled up and his arms wrapped around himself protectively. 

Jooheon had the sinking feeling maybe his anger had gotten the better of him and that he was being extremely unfair. Kihyun smacked the back of his head with his good arm. 

So yeah, he probably messed up. 

 

 

Minhyuk didn’t answer his texts and didn’t pick up his phone calls. Jooheon felt miserable but he guessed he deserved it. 

 

 

He went over to Minhyuk’s and Hyungwon’s flat after a few days without a word from Minhyuk. It was Hyungwon who opened the door. Jooheon had never known someone with bright pink hair could look so murderous. 

“What do you want, Jooheon?” He didn’t make any move to let him into the shared flat. 

“I… want to apologize to Minhyuk. Is he home? He isn’t answering his texts.” 

Hyungwon raised an eyebrow and Jooheon felt small, so very small. Hyungwon could be damn intimidating. “He is home, but I don’t think he wants to talk to you. You hurt him. You were a real dick.” 

Jooheon looked at his feet, biting his lip. “I know and I’m sorry. I was… angry and wanted to blame someone. Not an excuse but a reason. Anyway, I made him cookies, maybe you could at least give them to him?” Jooheon asked shyly and held out a box with some chocolate chip cookies. 

“Let him in, Hyungwonie. Thank you though,” came Minhyuk’s voice and Jooheon looked up. He looked less cheerful than usual, still pale, but still beautiful (platonically). 

Hyungwon gave Jooheon one last warning glance, then stepped aside and let him through. The first thing Minhyuk did was snatch the box of cookies, then he gestured towards the door to his room and Jooheon followed him inside. 

 

 

The silence at first was awkward. Minhyuk was sitting on his bed cross-legged, Jooheon next to him, his feet on the ground. They were not as comfortable as they usually were; there was no easy cuddling, no laughter, no nothing, really. 

It was Jooheon who broke the silence. He guessed since he was here to apologize, he should talk first anyway. 

“Minhyuk, I’m sorry. So sorry. I… Didn’t mean what I said, not even when I said it. I just wanted someone to blame. It wasn’t fair. What happened with Kihyun wasn’t you fault. I know that.” Jooheon bit his lip as he watched Minhyuk, waiting for a reaction. Only now did he notice the snow flakes clinging to his eye lashes and some that were on his lips. He looked a little as if he had been caught in a snow storm. 

Minhyuk looked up, licking his lips; the snowflakes on his lips disappeared. “I would never let your friends get hurt if I could prevent it from happening. I can make it snow, make water freeze but I cannot possibly know all the consequences that might somehow come out of it, Jooheon. I’m a nature spirit, not a god.” Minhyuk still didn’t reach for Jooheon and he was quiet as he spoke. It seemed uncharacteristic of him. “You hurt me, you know,” he added. 

“I sometimes… I don’t exactly know your limits, you know? I mean… Still, I should never have said this. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for hurting you. Kihyun almost tore me apart for saying that later. Can we… can we be friends again? I miss you.” Jooheon smiled hesitantly at Minhyuk. 

“Do you miss me, or do you miss someone freezing your coke?” Minhyuk asked but there was no bite in his question, just a smile. 

Jooheon laughed. “Both I guess. Though I think I miss the frozen coke a little more.” Minhyuk gasped, scandalized, and pushed Jooheon down onto the bed. 

“You will regret saying that!” He gasped and started tickling Jooheon, making the other screech and, after a while, beg for mercy. Minhyuk, out of breath and laughing too, finally granted him that mercy to him and lay down next to Jooheon, their arms touching. 

When Jooheon looked over at Minhyuk again, he noticed that any traces of snowflakes on the other’s face were gone. What had they been? He had an idea, but he wasn’t sure whether he was right.

“Minhyuk?” He asked after a while. 

“Yeah?” 

“Why were there snowflakes clinging to your lips and eyelashes earlier?” He just wanted to make sure. 

Minhyuk’s smile dimmed a little but he didn’t seem unhappy, just a little less hyperactive. “Happens when I’m sad. When Jaehyuk died, I was basically a living snow man. The sadder I get, the more snow there is and the more I lose control, you see.” He shrugged. 

“Oh. I’m sorry.” 

Minhyuk reached for his hand and squeezed it. “I know. Don’t worry, we’re good again.” 

Jooheon smiled and turned on his side, brushing a strand of Minhyuk’s hair behind his ear. The other’s smile made his heart beat faster and as much as Jooheon had tried lying to himself about falling for Minhyuk, he couldn’t deny the way he felt when Minhyuk so much as smiled at him anymore. 

It was kind of anticlimactic how Minhyuk easily leaned over and kissed Jooheon gently. It was innocent and soft and Jooheon responded in kind. 

“On second thoughts, can we maybe not be friends? Maybe… something more?” Jooheon asked and he was surprised with his own courage. 

Minhyuk smiled. “Something more sounds nice.” He leaned over again and kissed Jooheon again, giggling, and some snowflakes danced over their heads.

**Author's Note:**

> If any of you want to talk to me on [Tumblr](https://pinkhimchanism.tumblr.com/) or [ Twitter ](https://twitter.com/pinkhimchanism/), there you go! 
> 
> thank you for reading and I'd love to know what you thought!


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